Long sunny days followed by breezy evenings bring a certain magic to summertime. Even as we get older and don’t have our own 3-month summer vacation, we can still enjoy and soak up as much summer as possible. We get to share in the magic as our kids discover summer. It seems like each summer is new too as they get older and can do new fun summer activities. So here are a few summer bucket list ideas so you can soak up every beautiful moment.
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Related post: Fun Fall Activities – Fall Bucket List
Summer Bucket List Ideas
(Be sure to tell me in the comments what’s on your list this year!)
1. Spend a day at a lakefront
2. Eat popsicles for breakfast.
3. See fireworks
4. Host a BBQ just because
5. Make s’mores
6. Go camping. Make reservations through Reserve America.
7. Go on a hike
8. Visit the farmer’s market or join a CSA (Check out How to Choose a CSA and How to Find a CSA)
9. See the ocean
10. Sleep outside
11. See a meteor shower (You could even host a star-gazing party!)
12. Go to a drive-in movie
13. Go strawberry, blueberry, peach or apple picking
14. Take a nap in a hammock
15. Have a bonfire
16. Watch a parade
17. Visit a local ice cream shop
18. Grow your own veggies. Check out What I’m Growing This Year and 8 Simple Steps to Starting Your Garden.
19. Ride bikes on a bike path
20. Do a stay-cation
21. Fly a kite
22. Blow bubbles
23. Draw with sidewalk chalk
24. Get an ice cream cone from an ice cream truck (My favorite is ChocoTaco!)
25. Take a full moon hike
26. Catch fireflies
27. Go to a country fair
28. Make sun tea
29. Try some new no-oven recipes
30. Have watermelon seed-spitting contest
31. Go fishing
32. Sit on a park bench and watch the world go by
33. Eat fresh seafood caught that day (I once watched my cousin devour 3 lobsters that had just been brought in from the boat in Prince Edward Island, Canada.)
34. Catch the sunset or sunrise by yourself
35. Attend a live outdoor concert
36. Make a wildflower bouquet
37. Go to a ballgame
38. Look for new books by your favorite author
39. Visit the zoo or aquarium
40. Play hookey from work or school
41. Take time for your favorite hobby (gardening, photography, painting, music)
42. Do a wine or beer tasting
43. Visit an amusement or water park
44. Have a water balloon fight
45. Have a drink with an umbrella in it
46. Participate in a family fun run (did you know that lots of races support local causes?)
47. Play in the sprinkler
48. Make a mud pie
49. Do a driveway car wash and enlist the kids
50. Make a big breakfast buffet of everyone’s favorites
51. Skip rocks
52. Feed the ducks (This was one of my favorite memories with my grandfather.)
53. Build a fort
54. Find animal shapes in the clouds
55. Volunteer at a community clean up
56. Build a sand castle
57. Roll down the hill
58. Invite neighbors over for a block party
59. Go on a horseback ride
60. Grab some cheese, crusty bread, and fresh fruit and have a picnic
61. Go on a kayak or canoe ride
62. Do a paint night with your best friends
63. Get a good date in with your spouse
64. Rock your bathing suit and get in the pictures with your kids
65. Climb a tree
66. Collect seashells
67. Try a workout in the park
68. Do a scavenger hunt
69. Make a flower crown
70. Do a new science project (bonus points if it’s messy!)
71. Find a four leaf clover
72. Tie dye a shirt
73. Walk to a bakery and enjoy fresh pastries on a park bench
74. Visit a fancy home with gardens
75. Catch some Shakespeare in the Park
76. Go out for brunch
77. Have a summer pen pal
78. Make a kindness rock
79. Do a nature rubbing
80. Be in a summer play
81. Host a lemonade stand
82. Make your own popsicles. We love homemade popsicles using these popsicle molds.
83. Go skinny-dipping (I won’t tell if you don’t!)
84. Visit an old college friend and their kids
85. Try country line dancing
86. Attend yoga on the beach
87. Go bowling
88. Check out paddleboarding
89. Try a new restaurant (bonus if they have outdoor seating!)
90. Take an overnight train
91. Have pillow fight
92. Make a sun-catcher
93. Make homemade jam
94. Practice some hula hooping!
95. Start a friendly competition over a potato sack race, three legged race, or egg toss
96. Build a string can telephone
97. Catch (and release) a frog
98. Do a no-screen day
99. Make slime
100. Be open to a new adventure!
I hope that you and your family have a wonderful and fun summer!
Be sure to tell me what’s on your summer bucket list in the comments below!